White House Confirms Resignation Request
President Donald Trump has instructed his administration to ask Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign from her position as U.S. ambassador to Greece, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Wednesday. The decision follows mounting controversies regarding Guilfoyle’s conduct while serving in Athens.
White House spokesperson Katie Zacharia announced the development publicly on Tuesday. "We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign. She has been an extraordinarily valuable member of our team, and we wish her all of the best," Zacharia stated.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump issued the instruction to Zacharia without speaking to Guilfoyle directly first. The newspaper cited individuals who spoke with the president, stating that Trump was angered by the blatant nature of the allegations against his former partner and diplomatic appointee.
Allegations of Conflicts of Interest and AI Claims
Gilfoyle’s tenure in Athens became increasingly precarious starting in late September, when reports emerged that she had been promoting a Greek construction company while working closely with its chief lobbyist. The Wall Street Journal noted that Guilfoyle began contacting government officials and prominent Trump supporters during the early hours of the morning in Athens, seeking to downplay the reports that she appeared to have used her diplomatic position for personal gain.
Further complications arose when text messages surfaced suggesting that Guilfoyle had requested $100,000 from a Trump donor ahead of her Senate confirmation hearing last year. In response to these revelations, Guilfoyle contacted White House officials and claimed the messages were generated by artificial intelligence. According to the Wall Street Journal, administration officials did not believe this explanation.
A third report alleged that Guilfoyle accepted private jet flights and stays at expensive hotels from Greek shipowner Nikolas Tsakos. These allegations contributed to increased tension within the U.S. embassy in Athens.
Guilfoyle’s Efforts to Secure Support
Despite the accumulating reports, Guilfoyle maintained a public presence during her final days in office. The Wall Street Journal reported that she posted a photograph with Spanish Ambassador Jorge Domecq for Spain’s National Day and wished Lara Trump a happy birthday on Instagram. Associates reported that Guilfoyle assured them early Tuesday morning that she would survive the scandal.
Guilfoyle suspected that embassy employees and members of her security detail were leaking information that led to ridicule on American late-night television programs. In an effort to counter these leaks, she contacted Matthew Boyle, Washington bureau chief of Breitbart News, seeking help to pressure administration officials.
The Wall Street Journal detailed that Guilfoyle made frantic attempts to save her job as damaging revelations mounted. Her calls to administration officials and people close to President Trump were aimed at mitigating the impact of the stories regarding her interactions with Greek business interests and the alleged financial request from a donor.